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The single most important piece of equipment for making the most advanced chips is what's known as an extreme ultraviolet lithography, or an EUV, machine.
extreme ultraviolet lithography or an EUV machine.
They had an early start to witness semiconductor companies and had American-trained Taiwanese engineers. So, by the late 1980s and early 1990s, Taiwan's semiconductor industry began to gain global recognition. TSMC quickly became the go-to foundry for fabless companies around the world, including prominent tech firms in the US and Europe. The company's willingness to invest in cutting-edge manufacturing technology, such as advanced lithography and process nodes, allowed it to stay ahead of competitors. By the early 2000s, Taiwan had firmly established itself as a global leader in semiconductors. The industry became a critical part of Taiwan's economy, contributing significantly to its GDP and providing thousands of high-paying jobs.
TSMC has continuously been at the forefront of process technology innovation. They went on to pioneer the mass production of 7nm and 5nm chips, used in cutting-edge devices such as Apple's iPhones, NVIDIA's GPUs, and AMD's processors. One of the most complex processes in semiconductor manufacturing is the use of extreme ultraviolet, EUV, lithography to produce chips at 5nm and below. EUV lithography is a technology that allows manufacturers to etch incredibly small circuits onto silicon wafers, enabling the creation of the world's most advanced semiconductors.
Like these machines, extreme ultraviolet lithography machines.
Like... these machines—Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Machines.
Two of the other major processes used in nanofabrication, deposition, the process of laying down films, and lithography, the process of patterning the matte, usually films of fold resist, will be covered in other units of this course.
and lithography, the process of patterning the match, usually films of photoresists—will be covered in other units of this course.
A good example is ASML over in the Netherlands making that extreme ultraviolet lithography machine.
So for example, ASML in lithography, ASMI in atomic layer deposition.
We're here at ASML's headquarters in the Netherlands, where 100% of the world's extreme ultraviolet lithography machines are made.
We're here at ASML's headquarters in the Netherlands, where 100% of the world's extreme ultraviolet lithography machines are made,
After that, we use lithography to pattern the filter's features onto that metal layer.
After that, we use lithography to pattern the filter's features onto that metal layer.
But Veldhoven is extremely important despite its small size because it is the headquarters of a company that you may also have never heard of called ASML, an acronym for Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography.
But Veldhoven is extremely important despite its small size, because it is the headquarters of a company that you may also have never heard of, called asml, an acronym for Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography.
If not for American companies pioneering AI, if not for Dutch companies building ultra-lithography technology that makes the chips possible, or British companies developing advanced jet engines, heck for all the bluster and scare-mongering, the West still does some pretty incredible mind-boggling things.
If not for American companies pioneering AI, not for Dutch companies building ultra lithography technology that makes the chips possible.
So lithography is the area that people talk about the most as the most expensive.
So lithography is the area that people talk about the most as the most expensive.